A Long-Awaited Autograph
by Captain Shimpy
Summary: While out for a stroll at her favorite park, an unexpected reunion presents Tatami Nakagame with an opportunity. But will she take advantage of it?


Tatami Nakagame walked along the cobblestone path, enjoying the pleasant breeze. She took in a deep breath and smiled. The park was lovely in spring. Trees were just beginning to flower, creating a brilliant mosaic of reds, pinks, and creamy whites. Squirrels darted from tree to tree in wild zig zag patterns, while black tailed gulls screeched loudly for handouts from passersby. Children darted to and fro while their parents watched fondly from the sides.

For Tatami, this place was a second home. An ideal retreat from the stress and strain of hero school, where she could relax and unwind without fear of interruption. That was especially needed right now. The provisional license exam had ended two days ago, but her still aching body said otherwise. Even now, she could hardly believe that she and her classmates had made it through. Ms. Joke had pushed them hard, beyond what they thought was possible, and it was still a close call. And if recent events were any indication, it would only get harder from here.

Just then, a loud cry caught her attention.

"Fresh takoyaki for sale! Get it while it's hot!"

Others joined in, turning the solitary call into a full blown chorus.

Tatami glanced over and beamed. Row upon row of vendors lined the open space, all vying for attention from throngs of eager shoppers. Of course! Today was the farmer's market. How could she forget? She broke into a sprint, euphoria momentarily overcoming fatigue as she zeroed in on the delicious bouquet of smells.

Closer and closer she came, licking her lips in anticipation. Then, out of the corner of her eye: a familiar splotch of red and white. Tatami skidded to a halt, nearly tripping over a partially concealed tree root as she focused her gaze to confirm what she just saw.

_Todoroki! _

Just a few meters away, looking more than a little lost as he scanned the tightly packed stalls. His eyes set on hers for the briefest instant-enough to make her heart leap in her chest.

Tatami's mind exploded with half formed thoughts and vague impressions. Should she go over there? Would he even remember her if she did? Could she finally get that autograph?

Their meeting before the exam had been a short and forgettable one, made shorter still by Shindo's untimely interruption. It was probably for the best, though. She had been a little intense. But could they really blame her? This was Todoroki Shouto, for crying out loud! Endeavor's son! And after seeing what he could do in the sports festival, what else was she supposed to do? Jeez!

Since facing off with 1-A in the licensure exam, Tatami's admiration for him had only grown. The memory of that roaring flame streaking towards her-she still couldn't believe she'd dodged it-had her sweating bullets all over again. While her mind wandered, Todoroki started walking. Towards her. Eep!

Tatami tucked her head on reflex, then realized what she was doing and froze. Even though her quirk was more utilitarian than flashy, she was still embarrassed at her lack of control. With a sheepish look, she pushed her head back out, hoping that no one (least of all Todoroki) saw.

But as he got close, his bemused expression said otherwise.

"I thought I remembered you. From the exam, right?" he extended a hand, "You'll have to forgive me, though. I don't think I ever got your name back then."

"O-oh! That's ok. Didn't have much time for introductions anyway." she shook it, hoping her grip wasn't too tight. "Tatami Nakagame. Nice to meet you! You know, for real this time." she chuckled nervously.

Todoroki nodded sagely. "Indeed. Too focused on the road ahead." he smiled, ever so slightly. "Glad to formally make your acquaintance, Tatami."

She blushed at that, heart fluttering when he said her name. "So...um.. What brings you here today? Must be a bit of a trip from UA."

"Heard about it from a classmate, actually. Big foodie. Thought I'd give it a look, see what's what. Figured I could use the walk."

"That's nice. You know what they say. Exercise is a hero's best friend!" she giggled, "A-anyway, I..I'm glad you're here. I wanted to apologize… you know, for before…" she twiddled her thumbs. "I have a tendency to get a little starstruck sometimes, especially when I get to meet someone really cool and brave like you and-"

"Eh. UA always makes the sports festival a bigger deal than it needs to be. Besides…" a long pause. "I've still got a long way to go."

"Yeah, but provisional licensure is a big step, especially for a first year! I still can't believe how amazing your class is, Todo…" she stopped. His face, normally all but unreadable, was tinged with shame. _Great. Nice going, Tatami. _

Todoroki sighed, gazing off at some middle distance past the joyful groups of market goers. "A hero has to be in control at all times, of the situation as well as themselves. I wasn't."

"Oh...I'm so sorry, I didn't realize."

He shrugged "No big deal. It was my mistake, my price to pay." he thrust his chin up, "That's why I'm going to work hard to catch up to my classmates. So we can all move forward together."

Tatami grinned. That was what she admired most about UA. No obstacle could break their spirits. And from what she'd heard, there had been plenty. She was certainly proud of her own class, and rightly so, but there was a reason UA was so highly regarded.

A light tap on the shoulder interrupted her reverie. "I don't suppose you know your way around here, do you? I'm trying to find some fresh produce and..."

Without a word, Tatami grabbed him by the arm and began tugging him along at breakneck pace. Todoroki let out a grunt of surprise, stumbling forward to keep up, but made no move to break away.

A few minutes later, she stopped, crimson faced, and let go. "OhmygoshImsosorryIdidn'tmeantto-"

Todoroki placed a gentle hand on her forearm, leaving her slack jawed and motionless."It's fine. You seemed to know where you're going, so I didn't say anything. Just… warn me first next time, ok?"

A few seconds later, Tatami came to. "Oh! Y-yeah. Of course!"

Todoroki smiled and motioned for her to lead on.

Tatami's face was so hot, she wondered if she was feverish. But no, he was just that handsome. And when he smiled, it was simply unfair. Now, though, he was just staring quizzically, waiting for her to move. She shook her head to clear it. _Come on Tatami! Focus! _

She put a hand on her neck, grinning bashfully. "Right! Produce. This way!"

With Tatami's leadership, the two deftly made their way through the crowded pathways, past vendors and promoters and the occasional entertainer, finally arriving in front of a large canvas tent packed with vegetables of all shapes and sizes. People made their way up and down the aisles, carefully inspecting each specimen before placing it in a bag or, more rarely, back on its respective pile.

From his place at the back, a short old man glanced up at the newcomers. When he saw Tatami, he smiled and waved. Grabbing a nearby cane, he moseyed on over and pulled her into a bear hug.

"There's my number one customer! How are you, my dear?"

Tatami grinned and hugged back, lifting him up a few centimeters before setting him gently back down. "I'm doing great, Utagawa-san! I'm one step closer to being a real hero now!"

Utagawa's face widened into an ear-splitting grin. "That's wonderful! Before I know it, you'll be fighting off villains in the streets!" he threw a few quick jabs with his free hand.

Tatami giggled. "Utagawa-san, you're too much! I still have a ways to go, you know."

"Bah!" he waved a hand dismissively. "You're already a pro as far as I'm concerned."

Todoroki raised a hand. "Excuse me, sir, I don't mean to interrupt, but…"

"Eh?" Utagawa blinked a few times and cocked his head, as if seeing Todoroki for the first time. He prodded the boy a few times with his cane, looking him up and down. "Heh. Not bad. Not bad at all." he turned to Tatami with a mischievous grin. "You never told me you had a boyfriend, Tatami-chan."

Tatami pulled her head down, leaving only a pair of wide blue eyes and a beet red forehead beneath golden blonde hair. "Eeh?!"

Todoroki, meanwhile, was staring intently at a neatly stacked pile of summer squash, the faintest hint of crimson on his cheeks.

Utagawa burst out in full bellied laughter, leaning on his cane for support.

Tatami poked her head back out, just enough to allow herself to speak. "I-it's not like that, Utagawa-san! Honest! Todoroki's just an acquaintance from the exam! We just happened to bump into each other is all!"

Utagawa wiped a tear from one eye, taking a few moments to compose himself before speaking. "Ok, ok. I won't press. But…" he leaned up to whisper in Tatami's ear. "Fortune favors the bold, you know."

Tatami nodded politely, a nervous smile on her face. "Hehehe. Um… Say, Todoroki, why don't you tell Utagawa-san here what you're looking for? I'm sure he'd be happy to help!"

"Huh?" Todoroki snapped back to attention. "Oh. Yeah. Sure." he turned to Utagawa, all stoic politeness once more.

Tatami let out a long exhale, slumping down against a nearby post. She watched Utagawa lead Todoroki through the aisles, pausing here and there to toss a vegetable in his bag.

Her mind was a rush of emotion. Confusion, anxiety, embarrassment, and…gladness. Indeed, a part of her was pleased with Utagawa's mistake. She still barely knew Todoroki, but having a chance to spend time with him like this made her want to change that, more so than ever before. He had a quiet confidence about him, was very self-aware, and rolled with the punches. All traits befitting a hero.

He and Utagawa chatted amiably as the old man hefted a fat daikon for him to see. Todoroki took the whole thing very seriously, carefully weighing each option before making a decision. Soon enough, Utagawa was ringing him up, and the pair made their way back to Tatami.

The old man clapped Todoroki hard on the back. "Well, I'll be! A young man who knows his vegetables! You'd better come again now, you hear me?"

Todoroki smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Utagawa-san. I will."

Utagawa grunted in satisfaction, then haned Tatami a bag with a small garden's worth of leaves and roots poking out of the top. "Your usual, my dear. Plus a little extra."

Tatami took the bag and bowed. "You're too kind as always, Utagawa-san!"

"Nonsense! You're a good girl, and an even better customer." He waddled up to give her another hug, which she returned with gusto. "You two enjoy the rest of the market, ok?"

Tatami flashed a thumbs up. "You bet we will! Ready, Todoroki?"

As if in reply, Todoroki's stomach gurgled loudly. "I have a few more things to look for, but…I could really go for some good soba right now."

Tatami smiled confidently. "Lucky for you, I know just the spot. Come on!"

She sprinted out of the tent, laughing all the while, with Todoroki patiently following behind.

They stood at the edge of the market, arms full of spoils and stomachs full of food, watching the setting sun.

Tatami set her bags down on the ground, absentmindedly twirling a finger in her hair as she looked at her companion. "I had a great time today, Todoroki. I usually come here by myself, so it was nice to have some company for a change."

"I was just glad to find someone who knew their way around. You saved me a lot of fruitless wandering. Thanks."

"Anytime!" she grinned wide enough to show off her distinctive sharp teeth. "I come here all the time, so I was happy to show it off!"

The two of them just stood there for a minute, lost in silence.

_Say something, Tatami! Now's your chance! _

Todoroki hefted the reusable bag, now laden with odds and ends, over one shoulder. "I suppose I'd better get back to the dorms now. Aizawa-sensei doesn't like us running around too late. See y-"

"Gooutwithme?"

Todoroki stopped in midstep. "Say again?"

Tatami's face was an intense, vibrant red, like one of Mr. Utagawa's tomatoes. He was looking at her intently, patiently waiting for her to continue. A few calming breaths later, she tried again. "Go out with me? Er…. if you want to, that is…"

He chuckled at that, a soft and melodious tenor. "That's funny. I was thinking about asking you, but I got tongue tied. The guys would've had a field day with that one, I'm sure."

Tatami gasped. "R-really?"

"Yeah. Today was a lot of fun, and I want to get to know you better."

"Yay!" she swept him into her arms, squeezing tightly until he made a noise of discomfort. "Ehehe…sorry. Again. I get a little carried away when I'm happy."

Todoroki just smiled, warm and accepting. "How about we exchange numbers so we can figure things out later?"

"Sure!"

A few moments later, it was done. Tatami looked down at her phone, flush with excitement. "Oh, I can't wait! For now, though, I guess I'd better let you go. I should probably be heading back to Ketsubutsu myself."

Before she could leave, Todoroki put a hand on her shoulder. "Hang on. I almost forgot something." he rummaged around in his pockets, producing a pen and a piece of calligraphy paper. "Back then. You wanted an autograph, right?" A few quick flourishes later and he handed it over. "I know that's not much, bu-oof!"

She hugged him again, brief but intense, then gave him a peck on the cheek. "That's so sweet! Thank you!"

Todoroki blushed, putting a hand to his face. "It was the least I could do after today, so…" his phone dinged, drawing his attention. "Oops. That's Iida. Better not keep him waiting any longer. I'll text you when I get back, ok?"

"Absolutely! See you later, Todoroki!"

He waved back, then headed off towards UA. Tatami waited until he was out of sight, then looked down at the paper. There was his name in elegant cursive, with "thank you" written below. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she clutched the paper to her chest. Then, after making sure no one was in immediate earshot, she let out a joyful shriek.


End file.
